Robert hoffman



(No Model.)

B HOFFMAN BUNG FOR PIGKLE BARRBLS. No. 429,448.

Patented June 3, 1890.

' Ill llllll NITED STATES PATENT *rmcn.

ROBERT HOFFMAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE I-I J. HEINZ COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUNG FOR PICKLE-BARRELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,448, dated June 3, 1890.

Application filed September 27, 1889. Serial No. 325,315. (No model.) I

Like figures of reference indicate like parts in each.

The object of my invention is to provide a bung for the head of a pickle-barrel and the like which shall be secure in its action. in closing the barrel, easy to remove and replace, neat and attracti vein appearance, and cleanly in preventing the accumulation of dirt and vermin. The bung described in this specification possesses these advantages and the further advantage'that the barrel or package a may be preserved for holding its contents in retail stores, the use of the bung making it unnecessary to. injure the barrel in getting access to its contents. The usual practice of breaking the barrel-head to open the barrel possesses so many disadvantages that the benefits of my improved hung in this regard will be very much appreciated.

Referring to the drawings, 2 represents the barrel, having in its head a hole to permit the insertion and removal of its contents without making it necessary to remove the entire barrel-head. 3 is the bung which I employ to close this hole. It consists of a metal plate or disk having on its surface a suitable ring or handle 7, by which it may be removed from the hole and replaced thereon for use as a cover. The bung-disk 3 has on its under side a circular flange 12, preferably tapering in form. The disk projects laterally somewhat around the circumference of this flange, and is provided with laterally-projecting arms or lugs 4 and 8, the lug 4 having a screw-hole formed therein. The lugs 8 are preferably formed with longitudinal surface ribs, as

shown inFig. 1. There may be any suitable number of such lugs employed.

5 is a rubber gasket, which encircles the flange at the junction thereof with the disk.

I make the arms or lugs 8 of some length and apply to the barrel-head catches 9, consisting of horizontally-projecting arms secured by base-plates to the barrel-head. The under sides of these arms are somewhat separated from the barrel-head and are made of inclined form. The catches are preferably situated about diametrically opposite to each other relatively to the center of the bun g-hole and are oppositely directed.

In using this fastening device I apply the bung to the barrel and then impart to it a partial revolution, so as to bring the arms from the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 to those shown in full lines therein. The effect of this is to bring the lugs beneath the catches, and the inclination .of the bases of the latter exerts a wedge action on the lugs and forces the bungdownwardly, so as to com-' press the gasket. When the bung is thus applied, it may be secured by a screw inserted through the hole in the lug 4 or otherwise. The bung may be further secured to the barrel-head by a hinge-connection, so that when the bung is loosened from its pressure on the gasket it may be raised up from the bunghole without entirely detaching it from the barrel-head. Such a hinge is shown in the drawings. It comprises a lug 10, projecting from the plate and provided with an elongated slot. A hooked plate 11 is fixed to the barrel-head and tits in the slot, so as to permit the bung to be lifted on the hinge and thrown back on the barrel-head without preventing the rotation of the bung in the act of cominclined bearing-faces adapted to engage the arms and to force the bung to its seat when said bung is rotated, and a gasket encircling said downwarclly-projecting portion, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d clay of September, A. D. 1889.

ROBERT HOF FMAN.

\Vitnesses:

'W. B. CORWIN, THOMAS W. BLAKEWELL. 

